Family farm in Gibson County destroyed by tornado

GIBSON CO., Ind. (WFIE) - Ron Miley and his family built up their farm over the course of nearly 50 years. Early Saturday morning, it was torn apart in just seconds.

Miley Farms was hit by what preliminary reports show was an EF-2 tornado.

Ron, his wife and their adult children, who are all safe and uninjured, were hiding in the basement of their home when those storms rolled through.

“We heard a loud bang, and the roof was gone,” Miley said. “Water started running down through the basement, and we knew we was in trouble.”

By the time the sun came up Saturday morning, Miley realized he had lost everything.

Grain bins filled with corn, and the family’s livelihood, were ripped apart. Barns housing all their farm equipment were torn to the ground. Worst of all, his family home of nearly 50 years is likely a total loss.

“If we would have just lost the house, it would have been bad enough,” Miley said. “If we’d just lost the bins, it would have been bad enough. If we’d just lost the barn it would have been bad enough. At this point we’ve lost everything we’ve got.”

Miley’s personal belongings that used to fill his home are now replaced by fallen insulation.

“When we moved here it was a hay field,” Miley said. “A lifetime of building an establishment, and now it’s gone.”

Now, the goal is to build it back. And for the past three days, Miley has had an army of neighbors to help.

“I seen people here Saturday I didn’t even know,” Miley said. “That says a lot.”

Miley says roughly 100 people showed up at sunrise Saturday, working to pick up the pieces until the sunset. And they were back again the next day, and the next.

“If you don’t believe in the community support, somebody needs to come out here and look at this,” he said.

And with that community help, the road to rebuilding Miley Farms looks a lot like it did back in 1977, from the ground up.

“Everybody says everything can be replaced, and it can be, but it’s gonna take a while,” Miley said.

Copyright 2025 WFIE. All rights reserved.